Lawrence Wolfe, assistant principal bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal bass of the Boston Pops, discusses and plays an excerpt from Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben with New World Symphony double bass fellows.

Composers:Richard Strauss

Works:HELDENLEBEN, OP. 40; EIN

Instruments:Double Bass

Recorded Date:
07-09-2013

Lawrence Wolfe

Double Bass

Lawrence Wolfe joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra bass section in 1970, becoming the orchestra's youngest member at that time; he was named assistant principal bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and principal bass of the Boston Pops Orchestra during the 1981‑82 season. A graduate of New England Conservatory, Mr. Wolfe studied double bass with William Curtis, Leslie Martin, and Gary Karr. As a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, he was awarded the Albert Spaulding Prize for the most promising and outstanding instrumentalist. He is now a faculty member at Boston University, New England Conservatory, and the Boston Conservatory. Represented on Titanic Records by his album, Lawrence Wolfe, Double Bass, Mr. Wolfe has appeared as soloist at Carnegie Recital Hall, NEC's Jordan Hall, Kilbourne Hall in Rochester, and Symphony Hall, where he has been a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Mr. Wolfe was a judge and performed with his wife, soprano Pamela Wolfe, at the International Double Bass Competition on the Isle of Man in England. At the invitation of the Australian String Teachers Association, Mr. Wolfe toured the major cities of Australia, performing in recitals and teaching master classes. At the 1988 convention of the International Institute of the String Bass in Los Angeles, he was a recitalist, judge, and arranger. At Disneyland, he conducted an ensemble of eighty bass players in his own arrangements of Disney tunes. As a composer, Mr. Wolfe has numerous popular songs and three musicals to his credit. Ronald Feldman conducted the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra in the premiere of his overture, Freefall, and John Williams conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra in the premiere of his trumpet concerto with Timothy Morrison as soloist. Prophecy and Joy, a celebratory piece for chorus and orchestra to words by Walt Whitman, was commissioned by the Masterworks Chorale for their fiftieth‑anniversary concert at Symphony Hall.